First workshops will take place at the Edinburgh Film Festival

Submissions have opened for Film Nation: Shorts, a short film competition which gives young film-makers the chance to showcase their work at the 2012 Olympics.

Launched in March this year, the competition is open to aspiring UK based film-makers aged between 13 and 25, with the prize being the chance to have their winning films screened at London Olympic venues during the 2012 games,

Submissions for the first round of the competition are open until October 1, during which time applicants are invited to upload their short films to the 2012 website. The films, which are to be no longer than 3 minutes, must celebrate the “values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games; respect, courage, excellence, friendship, equality, determination and inspiration.”

The competition, which is supported by the UKFC, Screen West Midlands, First Light and Panasonic, will culminate in a special national award ceremony each year until the Games, with the first one taking place in December.

There will also be a series of workshops, with the first ones being hosted by the Edinburgh International Film Festival this weekend (25th, 26th, 27th). Further confirmed workshops for September and October will take place in Derby, Berwick, Hay-on-Wye, Cambridge, Leicester, Kent and London.

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